Update from Streets and Transportation Committee Chair

As the Streets and Transportation Committee chair, I’m pleased to say your transportation dollars are at work. I want to share our progress over the past eight years in bringing safer, active living streets and projects to improve the quality of life.

We have a committee of council members and residents to identify and report local and sub-regional issues, requests and suggestions to the County Public Works Department (“County”) and Supervisor’s Barger’s District 5 office. The County staff works closely and collaboratively with the CV Town Council and attends our monthly Committee meetings. Much discussion is dedicated to identifying opportunities for funding and services that will provide better public transportation services, infrastructure, street and safe connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists, and vehicle traffic. I have highlighted two projects of the current nine that are either underway or in the planning stages for priority consideration.

One of our main projects is the soundwall program. It is underway with Measure R funding for $9 million for design and partial construction of four walls of 15 that were prioritized based on noise decibel and the length of the wall along the I-210 Foothill from Pennsylvania to the SR 2 Freeway. Caltrans completed a Soundwall Noise Barrier Scope Report in November 2018. The report recommended the number of walls and length and cost estimates based on the inherent right of way impacts. This project is a partnership between Caltrans, Metro and County. Estimated design 2021 and construction 2022-23.

Our second project is the Foothill Boulevard, Sub-regional Complete Streets Planning Study initiated by the County Public Works in January 2021. The Committee submitted this project in 2018 through a variety of unsuccessful grant applications. However, the County budgeted transportation funds to address the community’s needs. The Foothill Boulevard study area includes analysis from partnering cities of Glendale to La Cañada with a program design that involves infrastructure improvements at intersections, crosswalks, connectivity to bike lanes, improving access to public transit, and reducing vehicular conflicts. The first milestone is an existing conditions report scheduled for release in late summer for community input. Outreach meeting notices will be posted on social and print media. The final study report will be in fall/winter 2021-22 with program recommendations. Measure M funds are identified for capital infrastructure improvements based on the report’s recommended improvements.

Next month’s topics will be the La Crescenta-Montrose Pavement Resurfacing and Pedestrian improvements and Metro NextGen Bus Study related to the 90/91 bus route.

If you have suggestions or want to know more, please join us on the last Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. virtually via Zoom (https://occidental.zoom.us/j/95698128070. Call by dialing (877) 853-5257 Meeting ID: 956 9812 8070, Password: 750226). Or contact me, Desiree Portillo Rabinov, at desiree@thecvcouncil.com.

Desiree Portillo Rabinov
La Crescenta